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Ryan Nelsen Named 2000 Collegiate Men's Soccer NSCAA/adidas Player Of The Year

STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford senior midfielder Ryan Nelsen has been named the 2000 Collegiate Men's Soccer NSCAA/adidas Scholar Athlete of the Year. The native of Christchurch, New Zealand was chosen for his excellence academically as well as athletically.

Nelsen, who also earned First Team All-America and Pac-10 Player of the Year honors, led Stanford to an 18-3-1 record and a berth in the NCAA Quarterfinals. A Cardinal tri-captain, he started all 22 matches with five goals and six assists. A member of the New Zealand National Team, Nelsen also helped anchor a Cardinal defense that led the nation with a 0.44 goals against average. Academically, the senior political science major holds a 3.39 cumulative grade point average.

'Ryan was a wonderful player for our team,' Stanford head coach Bobby Clark said. 'He was a wonderful example for all the other boys on the team. Not only is he an outstanding soccer player, but he also did a tremendous job in balancing the rest of his life, especially academics. At Stanford, academics is a very big part of a student-athlete's life, and Ryan certainly did an excellent job in all areas.'

To be eligible for selection as a Collegiate Scholar-Athlete of the Year, a player must have a 3.30 (on a 4.0 scale) cumulative GPA, start more than half of the time, be a significant contributor and be at least a junior in academic standing.

Based in Mission, Kansas, the NSCAA is the largest single-sport coaching organization in the United States with more than 14,600 members.